Elgin Taylor, Star Writer

The Minister of Health, The Honourable Dr. Fenton Ferguson, seems like an affable gentleman, and judging from television pictures, appears to be a terrific dancer of the old school. However, the way he has handled the current chikungunya outbreak so far, has raised a lot of eyebrows, to say the least.

His prolonged insistence of quoting official figures of thirty five confirmed cases of the disease, when all around hundreds and tens of hundreds were coming down with the symptoms, seemed ridiculous.

After all, this is Jamaica, where the method of official or international reporting may be viewed with scepticism. Coupled with this is the fact that the general populace is already suspicious of their politicians.

Recently, Dr Ferguson was given lots of kudos for piloting the ban on smoking in public places. This chikungunya episode is certainly a blot on his record.

Jamaicans are known as a people who sometimes like to "tek bad tings mek joke," and so it is with the chikungunya outbreak.

At one school a group of teachers observing the general movement of students and their colleagues at break, was heard remarking repeatedly, "Si anatha chicken a cum deh."

The teachers swore by their education degrees that the students and colleagues who came down with the illness actually "walk like a chicken."

This is the first time I have heard it said that persons who came down with the illness, walk as if they were doing the 'funky chicken' dance.

Serious business

However, don't be fooled by our propensity to laugh, this chikungunya, chik V, or what goes by the local names of "chicken gonorrhoea," and "chicken gunman," is serious business.

The disease is said to be transmitted by a virus from the Aedes aegypti mosquito, and its symptoms include severe pain in the joints, headache, fever, rashes, lack of sleep, nausea and vomiting.

Any and everyone can be infected with the disease, but complications may occur in the very young and elderly, pregnant women and those suffering from chronic illnesses. It is also linked to pneumonia in a number of patients.

Reports have surfaced of persons suffering from the disease who have to be helped to the bathroom and assisted with changing their clothes.

As the disease spreads across the land, a number of women who have gone through multiply pregnancies have stated that they have not felt such excruciating pain as they felt with being afflicted with the chikungunya virus.

Stem the tide

Already, it has begun to affect production and education in the country as many persons including teachers, other workers and students have come down with the malady. Three reported suspected deaths from the illness have so far been reported.

The citizens are now been asked to do all that is within their power to help to stem the tide of this scourge,

These include using mosquito repellent and the wearing of long-sleeved clothing, trimming thick shrubs around the home, getting rid of containers which can accumulate water, proper disposal of garbage and keeping the general surroundings clean.

It may be best to visit the doctor but those who self-medicate are told to use panadol, drink plenty fluids and get plenty rest. We are also told to eat healthy foods, especially those that build up the immune system.

It should be noted that there are no known cure for Chikungunya, only the symptoms are treated.

According to the online Wikipedia, the effect of the disease may last from five days to several years.

Questions, comments, observation? You can email me at elgin1225@yahoo.co.uk.